The present invention relates to an apparatus for taking out PTP tablet sheet.
As shown in FIG. 4, a press through package (PTP) type of tablet sheet S has a construction in which tablets are contained in recesses formed by expanding the sheet body toward the front side surface F and then an aluminum sheet is stuck on the back side surface.
Conventionally, dispensing apparatuses for automatically feeding such tablet sheet in accordance with a prescription data are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications Nos. H4-269965, H4-269967 and H8-107922.
However, in the above dispensing apparatuses, each tablet sheet needs to be stacked in the same direction so that each tablet sheet can be discharged separately. Namely, it is necessary to stack the tablet sheets so that the back side surface B of each tablet sheet S does not come into contact with each other, thereby forming gaps between the tablet sheets S into which claw members are securely inserted. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the tablet sheet S are boxed in a state in which the front side surface F and the front side surface F, or the back side surface B and the back side surface B are superimposed so as not to bulk up. Therefore, after taking out the tablet sheets S from the box and re-stacking them in the same direction as shown in FIG. 6, the stacked tablet sheets need to be set on the dispensing apparatus, which causing a problem of bad handling. Thus, a construction that can automatically discharge the tablet sheets without concern regarding the direction of stacking the tablet sheets has been desired.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for taking out PTP tablet sheet, which can reliably discharge only one of the tablet sheets from tablet sheet container in spite of the stacking direction thereof.
A tablet sheet taking out apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a tablet sheet containing portion for containing tablet sheets in a stacked state; an elastic support portion which separately supports at least two tablet sheets from the discharge side among the tablet sheets contained in the tablet sheet containing portion; and a discharge means for discharging the first tablet sheet from the discharge side among the tablet sheets contained in the tablet sheet containing portion, the discharge means holding the first tablet sheet and moving it so that the elastic support portion which supports only the first tablet sheet can be bent. The tablet sheet includes PTP sheet which packs capsules and so on other than tablets.
According to this construction, in spite of the direction containing the tablet sheets, two tablet sheets from the discharge side can be surely supported by the elastic support portion. Then, sucking the first tablet sheet from the discharge side by the discharge means to hold and move it, only the elastic support portion which supports the first tablet sheet is elastically deformed, whereby the second tablet from the discharge side is maintained in a state held by the elastic support portion. Thus, only the first tablet sheet can be surely discharged.
In this case, the elastic support portion may comprise a plurality of elastic hairs in a brush-like manner which protrude toward the side edge of the tablet sheets.
According to this construction, only by making the elastic support portion access to the side edges of the stacked tablet sheets, the elastic hairs can be positioned on discharge side of each tablet sheet. Therefore, sucking the first tablet sheet from the discharge side by the discharge means to hold it, only the first sheet can be surely discharged.
In a preferred embodiment, the tablet sheet containing portion may contain the tablet sheets in a state that the front side surface and the front side surface and back side surface and the back side surface come into contact with each other.
Preferably, the discharge means comprises a suction unit which sucks and holds the first tablet sheet from the discharge side.
Preferably, the elastic support portion may be movable between a standby position where the elastic support portion retreat from the tablet sheet containing portion when containing the tablets sheets into the tablet sheet containing portion and a support position where the tablet sheets contained in the tablet sheet containing portion are supported.
Preferably, the tablet sheet containing portion may have a shutter, the shutter closing the discharge side of the tablet sheet containing portion when the elastic support portion is positioned at the standby position and opening the discharge side of the tablet sheet containing portion when the elastic support portion is positioned at the support position.
Preferably, the elastic support portion may comprise: a first elastic support portion for supporting the almost part of the stacked tablet sheets; and a second elastic support portion for supporting a few tablet sheets from the discharge side among the stacked tablet sheets.
In this case, the elastic support portion may be movable between: a standby position where the first elastic support position retreats from the tablet sheet containing portion and the second elastic support portion protrudes into the tablet sheet containing portion; and a takeout position where the first elastic support position protrudes into the tablet sheet containing portion and the second elastic support portion retreats from the tablet sheet containing portion; and wherein at the standby position, the tablet sheets contained in the tablet sheet containing portion are supported by the second elastic support portion; and at the support position, almost tablet sheets contained in the tablet sheet containing portion are supported by the first elastic support portion while a few tablet sheets from the discharge side are supported by the second elastic support portion.